Blasting fuse spitter



Patented Dec. 6, 1927.

UNi'T THOMAS SPEARS, OF BISIBEE, ARIZbNA.

BLASTIITG FUSE SPITTER.

Application filed November 30, 1925. Serial No. 72,221.

Ordinary powder fuses to the holes or points where the blasting chargehas been deposited, there usually being a multiplicity of such chargesdistributed at spaced points or places for effecting the character blastdesired; and it is now the general practice to apply a torch or lamp tothe end of each fuse independently one after the other. This practice israther dangerous to the miner, as it is necessary for him to light allthe fuses, before retiring to a place of safety. The smoke from thefirst few fuses fills the working place necessitating him to feel aroundfor remaining fuses or charges, which often detains him longer than heis aware, and the first lighted fuse explodes before he gets to a safeplace. Also, many times the lamps or torches are blown out by thespurting of the powder from the end of the fuse, leaving the minerwithout a light, and causing him to grope around in the dark to a placeof safety, or forcing him to attempt to relight the lamp before theblast occurs.

The resultant accidents are said to be from premature explosions and thevast majority of blasting accidents are thus occasioned. I a

It is the object of the present-invention, therefore, to overcome theabove stated drawbacks by the provision of a fuse spitter which isextremely economical, and

which is constructed to hold and retain the ends of the fuses in such amanner that all ends may be directly ignited by one flashing of a torchor lamp at the same time, the ends of the fuses being grouped togetherand arranged in close relation, so that every lighting of one or anynumber of the grouped ends of the fuses will result in the ignition ofthe entire group.

A further object of the invention is in the quick and simple methodemployed in grouping and retaining the ends of the fuses in. a holdingdevice or spitter.

With the above and other objects in view,

the invention resides in the sundry details of construction, combinationand arrangement of parts, and in the steps of the method employedhereinafter more fully described and set out in the appended claims.

In this specification and annexed drawings the invention is disclosed inthe form in which it is considered to be the best, but the invention isnot limited to such form and method, because it is capable of beingembodied in other forms, and being performed in different manners; andit is to be understood that by and 1n the claims following thedescription herein, it is intended to cover the invention in whateverfrom it may be embodied, or in whatever manner it may be practicedwithin the scope of said claims.

In the drawings which show the preferred embodiment of the invention asat present devised, and the manner in which the fuse ends are held inthe spitter Fig. l is a front elevation of the spitter constructed inaccordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the spitter showing the fuse endsattached thereto and the method by which they are held and retained ingrouped relation in the spitter; and

Fig. 3 is a side View of the spitter shown in Fig. 2.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the spitter of this inventionconsists of a panel or elongated stick of wood or other suitablematerial 10, which is slotted as indicated at 11. The slot 11 preferablyextends from the upper end of the spitter for a desired distanceinwardly thereof, although the slot may be arranged in any desiredmanner.

The slot 11 is to be of such width as will permit the ends of the fusesto extend there through, and is preferably no wider than will accomplishthis, so that the ends of the fuses may to an extent bind themselves inthe slot. The slot 11 may be of any desired m0 length, but at leastsufficient to accommodate the usual number of fuses which it is desiredto ignite at one time.

While the spitter 10 is shown in the form of an elongated panel with theslot extend- 10 lower extremity pointed as at 13 in order that it may bestuck into the dirt, crevice, or other such place. The spitter 10 can beimplement.

are mashed or spread, ,asparticularly shown in Fig. 2, so that theseextremities will be WlClGftlldll the slot 11, and prevent the same fromfalling out. Also, this mashing or spreading of the ends of the fuses asat 15, causes the powder in said ends to. be ex.- posed, for convenientignition. Sincejthe ends of the fuses 14: are in grouped juxtapositionin the slot 11, the ignition can be effected by merely applying a torchgenerally to the ends 15 of the fuses with the spitter. Of course, it isthe practice for the,

miner to run the torch along the ends ofthe fusesin order'to use anabundance of precaution to insure the proper ignition of all of thefuses. 4 v

The ends 15 of the fuses, as above stated, are mashed or spread to asize larger than the width of the slot 11, but this in some instancesmay be better efiected by splitting the ends of the fuses, with a knifeor. other It is also to be'understood that it is within the purview ofthe present invention that the slot 11 be closed at both ends, but byhaving at least one end of the slot open it is found that the fuses maybe inserted into the slot from this end with greater faoilityand ce-'lerity. i

From the foregoing, it'will be seen that applicant has made a verysimple and economical invention requiring no special and expensiveparts, and it maintains the fuse ends in position as the same are merelydisposed in the end of a slot, which is, preferably, of such size as tobind the ends therein; andby spreading the ends of the fuses in order toproperly expose the powder therein for ignition, thereby requiringnosupplemental or auxiliary detonator, or lgniting charge to lighttheends of the fuses.

WVhat is claimed is; I

l. A blasting fuse spitter comprising a flat solid body member ofsubstantial width and having a slot therein in which the ends of aplurality of fuses may be transversely extended with the ends of theyfuses spread on a surface of the body member and groupedtogether forsimultaneous ignition, saidslot being of suchwidth as to hold the fusestherein and sajid'body member being of such width that the edges thereofproject be- I "yond the spread end of the fuses so when laid on one ofits side edges it will support the ends of the fuses above supportingsurface. 2. In combination, a' unitary non-resilient fuse spittercomprising a solid body member having a slot extending for a distancethereinto from one edge'thereof so as to provide an unslotted portionbeyond the inner end of the slot, said slot being of a width .toholdfuses. transversel tremities of the uses having bent over portionsadjacent to the edges of the slot.-

therein, the ignitible ex- I ,3. In combination, a unitary non-resilientfuse spitter comprising a body member having a slot extending for adistancethereinto from one edge'thereof so as to provide an unslottedportion beyond the inner end of the slot, said slot being of a width tohold fuses transversely therein, said unslotted portion providing ahandle having a penetrating end, the ignitible extremities of the fuseshaving bent over portions adjacent to the edges of the slot.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand. 1 f

a THOMAS SPEARS.

